1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to rolling mills delivering hot rolled long products to cooling beds, and is concerned in particular with a method of subdividing and decelerating such products prior to their arrival at the cooling bed. As herein employed, the term “long products” refers to bars and rods, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,494, it is known to use driven pinch rolls to grip and decelerate hot rolled long products. When used alone, however, the heavy pressure exerted by the pinch rolls can deform or otherwise mar the product surfaces. This is of particular concern with products that have ribbed surfaces, e.g., concrete reinforcing bars.
The use of staggered rolls to effect deceleration by deflecting long products into elongated sinuous paths is also known, as shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,429. However, when used alone, such staggered roll arrangements are incapable of adequately decelerating products at the higher delivery speeds of modern rolling mills. Moreover, the use of staggered roll arrangements to decelerate product leading ends is likely to produce cobbles.